Blackboard reveals snapshot of 1987

Monday

Aug 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 31, 2009 at 3:37 AM

During the summer of 1987, a science classroom at Morton Junior High School was converted into District 709's special education office. As part of the renovation, the classroom blackboard was covered by a wall. What was written on the blackboard stayed hidden for 22 years. Like the opening of a time capsule, the blackboard's contents were revealed this summer when the office was converted into a special education classroom.

Steve Stein

During the summer of 1987, a science classroom at Morton Junior High School was converted into District 709's special education office.

As part of the renovation, the classroom blackboard was covered by a wall. What was written on the blackboard stayed hidden for 22 years.

Like the opening of a time capsule, the blackboard's contents were revealed this summer when the office was converted into a special education classroom.

Before the blackboard became history - it has since been replaced by a more modern electronic white board - Cindy Andrews took photos of the snapshot of 1987.

"That was Irma Bolam's science room. She retired as a teacher several years ago," said Andrews, who has worked in the school's library since 1984 and been the library media specialist since 1989. The school opened in 1955.

One of the notations on the blackboard was, "Irma Bolam was here. 5-22-87." Andrews said May 22 was probably the final day of school that year.

A week's worth of class assignments was on the board, along with this note from Bolam to her students:

"When you finish your test, please read Chapter 25. There will be a paper and pencil assignment on this material tomorrow."

Andrews said three district teachers were hired to do the remodeling of the classroom in 1987. Here's what they contributed to the blackboard:

"DMD Builders. Dale, Marv, Daryl. June 2, 1987. The year the Cubs will win the pennant."

Not quite. The Cubs beat the Houston Astros 13-2 on June 2 to give them a 29-21 record. But when the season ended Oct. 4, they were 76-85 and finished in last place in the National League East Division. It was the final full season at Wrigley Field without lights.

The blackboard also contained a humorous drawing of a long-nosed man looking over a fence, and a serious question posed by what appears to be a duck: "And how did the AIDS threat of the 1980s affect the world?"